it’s ok to like whomever you like

While I agree that genetics and biology have a role in shaping human sexuality, I’m of the opinion that human sexuality is ultimately a fluid thing, with a certain genetically-predisposed baseline and a possible spectrum of sexual diversity that’s part nature, part nurture, and part conscious choice flowing from that. So while one may be primarily attracted to the same sex or the opposite based upon some biological factor, one isn’t limited to just that.

As a species, we have to capacity to enjoy a rich spectrum of emotional and sexual relations. Part of the reason I think this isn’t more obvious is that we’ve been conditioned by social, religious, and cultural norms to identify with a single ‘orientation’ and, more importantly, to find only one specifically orientation socially, morally, and culturally acceptable.

We’re just now reaching a point where it’s becoming acceptable to be open about being attracted to the same sex and to be in a same-sex relationship, which is good. Unfortunately, we’re still trapped culturally into identifying as one or the other (gay, straight, etc.). And scientifically, we’re trapped by an ideology of genetic sexual determinism to do the same thing. So it’s going to take a bit longer for people to fully realize the possible diversity in human sexuality and that it’s not only possible to be attracted to people for who they are regardless of sex or gender, but that it’s OK to be attracted to someone for who they are regardless of sex or gender.

As my friend Matt put it, “We have to fight against this idea that no reasonable or rational person would choose same-sex attraction.” But the idea that same-sex attraction isn’t something we can choose because of biology simply reinforces rigid sexual barriers. There are plenty of perfectly good, rational reasons why they might apart from genetics, like they have a great personality or they’re cute. And what universal laws says that love and human sexuality have to be entirely rational in the first place?